Umbrella storage device and umbrella holding lock

ABSTRACT

A supporting column part  2  is erected from a rear end part of a water receiving part  3 . A basal end part of a supporting member  4  is rotatably disposed at an upper end part of the supporting column part  2 . The supporting member  4  is, when in use of an umbrella storage apparatus A, rotated such that the supporting member  4  becomes horizontal in posture and positionally fixed. A plurality of umbrella retaining locks  5, 5′  are disposed, side by side in the longitudinal direction of the supporting member  4 , at left and right side parts of the supporting member  4 . The water-drops dropping from the umbrellas retained by the umbrella retaining locks  5, 5′  are received in the water receiving part  3.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an umbrella storage apparatus and an umbrellaretaining lock suited to be used for the umbrella storage apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, an umbrella storage apparatus includes an apparatus mainbody, a plurality of supporting members arranged in mutually parallelrelation at upper end part of the apparatus main body, and a pluralityof umbrella retaining locks arranged, side by side, at least at one sidepart of each supporting member in the longitudinal direction of thesupporting members. The umbrella retaining locks retain the grip parts(parts-to-be-retained) of the umbrellas to be stored in their lockedstates (see Official Gazette of Japanese Patent Application Laid-OpenNo. H08-308711).

In the above-mentioned conventional umbrella storage apparatus, gapsbetween one end parts and between the other end parts in thelongitudinal direction of the mutually adjacent supporting members areclosed, respectively. Therefore, in case an umbrella is inserted betweenthe supporting members so that the umbrella is retained by the umbrellaretaining lock, the entire umbrella must be once lifted up to a levelabove the supporting members and then inserted between the supportingmembers. However, there is such a problem that when the umbrella islifted up to the level above the supporting members, the grips, etc. ofumbrellas which are already stored in the umbrella storage apparatuswill get wet by waterdrops dropping from the ferrule of the umbrella.Moreover, it is difficult for children who are not yet high enough tolift up the umbrellas to the level above the supporting members and so,they cannot utilize the umbrella storage apparatus.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the above problem, the first embodiment of the presentinvention is characterized by comprising an apparatus main body, asupporting member arranged with a longitudinal direction thereofdirecting in a direction intersecting with an up and down direction andwith a basal part thereof supported on the apparatus main body, and aplurality of umbrella retaining locks disposed, side by side, on atleast one side part of the supporting member along the longitudinaldirection of the supporting member and adapted to retain apart-to-be-retained of the umbrella.

In this case, it is preferred that the apparatus main body is providedat least at one side part thereof with a reference plane directing in anarrangement direction orthogonal to an up and down direction and alongitudinal direction of the supporting member, and the reference planeis arranged to be separated by a predetermined distance or more in thearrangement direction from the umbrella storage apparatus.

It is preferred that the basal end part of the supporting member isrotatably supported on the apparatus main body about a horizontal axisbetween a use position where the longitudinal direction of thesupporting member is directed in a direction intersecting with the upand down direction and a receipt position where the distal end part islocated generally downward of the basal end part and the entiresupporting member is disposed generally along the apparatus main body,the apparatus main body is rotatably provided with a cosmetic cover, thecosmetic cover can rotate between an open position and a closedposition, the cosmetic cover, when located in the open position, allowsthe supporting member to rotate between the use position and the receiptposition and when located in the closed position, covers the supportingmember located in the receiving position and the umbrella retaining lockin co-action with the apparatus main body.

In order to solve the above problem, the second embodiment of thepresent invention is characterized by comprising an apparatus main body,a plurality of supporting members arranged with a longitudinal directionthereof directing in a direction intersecting with an up and downdirection and with basal parts thereof supported on the apparatus mainbody, a plurality of umbrella retaining locks disposed, side by side, onat least one side parts of the supporting members along the longitudinaldirection of the supporting member and each adapted to retain apart-to-be-retained of the umbrella, the supporting members are mutuallyspacedly arranged in the horizontal direction, and a gap between themutually adjacent two supporting members and an extension part of thegap downward by a predetermined distance are open forward in thelongitudinal direction of the supporting members.

In this case, it is preferred that the plurality of supporting membersare arranged in mutually parallel relation.

It is preferred that the apparatus main body is provided at least at oneside part thereof in the separation direction of the plurality ofsupporting members with a reference plane directing toward the outsidein the separation direction, the reference plane is arranged to beseparated outward by a predetermined distance or more from the umbrellaretaining lock adjacent the inner side in the separation direction withrespect to the reference plane.

It is preferred that the apparatus main body includes a plurality ofsupporting column parts mutually spacedly arranged on a horizontalstraight line and vertically erected, and a plurality of secondsupporting column parts arranged in opposing relation on a straight lineparallel to the straight line on which the plurality of supportingcolumn parts are arranged and vertically erected, and the basal endparts and the distal end parts of the supporting members are supportedon the mutually opposing supporting column parts and the secondsupporting column parts, respectively. In that case, it is preferredthat at least an upper part of a gap between the mutually adjacentsecond supporting column parts is open forward in the longitudinaldirection of the supporting member.

It is preferred that a reference plane directing toward the outside inthe separation direction is disposed at least at one side part of theapparatus main body in the separation direction of the supportingmember, and the reference plane is arranged to be separated outward by apredetermined distance or more from the umbrella retaining lock adjacentto the inside in the separation direction with respect to the referenceplane.

It is preferred that the apparatus main body includes two supportingcolumn parts arranged to be separated from each other in the horizontaldirection and with their longitudinal direction directing in the up anddown direction and a retaining member whose opposite end parts in thelongitudinal direction are supported by the two supporting column parts,respectively, the plurality of supporting members are arranged to beseparated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the retainingmember, and the basal end parts of the supporting members are retainedby the retaining member. In this case, it is preferred that a referenceplane directing toward the outside in the separation direction isdisposed at least at one side part of the apparatus main body in theseparation direction of the two supporting column parts, and thereference plane is arranged to be separated outward by a predetermineddistance or more from the umbrella retaining lock adjacent to the insidein the separation direction with respect to the reference plane.

It is preferred that the umbrella retaining lock includes a lock mainbody attached to a side part of the supporting member and formed in afront surface part thereof facing sideward of the supporting member witha receiving recess extending upward and downward and open sideward ofthe supporting member, and a lock member disposed at the lock main bodysuch that the lock member is displaceable between a releasing positionand a locking position, the lock member, when located in the releasingposition, allowing a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella to be brought inand out of the receiving recess through the opening part, and whenlocated in the locking position, prohibiting the part-to-be-retained ofthe umbrella from escaping from the receiving recess through the openingpart, and a deepest part of the receiving recess is offset toward thelongitudinal direction of the supporting member with respect to acentral part of the opening part of the receiving recess.

It is preferred that the umbrella retaining lock includes a lock mainbody attached to a side part of the supporting member and formed in afront surface part thereof facing sideward of the supporting member witha receiving recess extending upward and downward and open sideward ofthe supporting member, and a lock member disposed at the lock main bodysuch that the lock member is displaceable between a releasing positionand a locking position, the lock member, when located in the releasingposition, allowing a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella to be brought inand out of the receiving recess through the opening part, and whenlocated in the locking position, prohibiting the part-to-be-retained ofthe umbrella from escaping from the receiving recess through the openingpart, and a depth direction of the receiving recess is inclined withrespect to the longitudinal direction of the supporting member so thatthe depth of the receiving recess becomes deeper from one end side inthe longitudinal direction of the supporting member toward the otherend.

The first embodiment of an umbrella retaining lock according to thepresent invention is characterized by including a lock main body formedin a front surface thereof with a receiving recess extending in the upand downward direction and open forward, and a lock member disposed atthe lock main body such that the lock member is displaceable between areleasing position and a locking position, the lock member, when locatedin the releasing position, allowing a part-to-be-retained of an umbrellato be brought in and out of the receiving recess through the openingpart, and when located in the locking position, prohibiting thepart-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping from the receivingrecess through the opening part, wherein a deepest part of the receivingrecess is offset in the horizontal direction along the front surface ofthe lock main body with respect to a central part in the horizontaldirection of the opening part of the receiving recess.

The second embodiment of an umbrella retaining lock according to thepresent invention is characterized by including a lock main body formedin a front surface thereof with a receiving recess extending in the upand downward direction and open forward, and a lock member disposed atthe lock main body such that the lock member is displaceable between areleasing position and a locking position, the lock member, when locatedin the releasing position, allowing a part-to-be-retained of an umbrellato be brought in and out of the receiving recess through the openingpart, and when located in the locking position, prohibiting thepart-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping from the receivingrecess through the opening part, wherein a depth direction of thereceiving recess is inclined with respect to the longitudinal directionof the supporting member so that the depth of the receiving recessbecomes deeper toward the horizontal direction along the front surfaceof the lock main body.

In the above-mentioned umbrella retaining lock, it is preferred that amovable member with a part thereof projecting from a bottom surface ofthe receiving recess is disposed at the apparatus main body such thatthe movable member is displaceable in the depth direction of thereceiving recess, and the movable member is connected to the lock memberso that when the movable member is abutted with the part-to-be-retainedof the umbrella inserted in the receiving recess and then displacedtoward the deep side of the receiving recess together with thepart-to-be-retained, the lock member is displaced toward the lockingposition side from the releasing position interlocking with thedisplacement of the movable member.

It is preferred that an intermediate part located within the apparatusmain body of the lock member is rotatably disposed at the apparatus mainbody for rotation about an axis extending in the up and down direction,the lock member is provided at one end part thereof projecting towardthe outside from the apparatus main body with an engagement part forprohibiting the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping fromthe opening part of the receiving recess when the lock member is locatedin the locking position, and the movable member is integrally disposedat the other end part projecting from a bottom surface within thereceiving recess of the lock member.

It is preferred that the bottom surface of the receiving recess includesa pair of side surfaces extending in parallel relation to each othertoward the deep side of the receiving recess from an opening partthereof, and a deep surface disposed between end parts on the deep sideof the pair of side surfaces, a recess is formed in an area in thevicinity of an opening part of a side surface opposing the opening partof the receiving recess of the pair of side surfaces, and a part of theengagement part is received in the recess so that when the lock memberis located in the releasing position, the engagement part is notprojected toward the outside from the opening part of the receivingrecess and a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella inserted in thereceiving recess through the opening part thereof is not abutted withthe engagement part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the first embodiment of an umbrellastorage apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the above embodiment with a supportingmember and a water retainer received in a supporting column part.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a pair of umbrella retaining locksattached to opposite side parts of the supporting member in the aboveembodiment.

FIG. 6 is a view when viewed in a direction as indicated by an arrow Xof FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view when viewed in a direction as indicated by an arrow Yof FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing one of the pair of umbrella retaininglocks of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a lower surface view in which a lower half part of theumbrellas retaining lock of FIG. 8 is removed and the lock member islocated in a releasing position.

FIG. 10 is a view, like FIG. 9, in which the lock member of the aboveumbrella retaining lock is located in a lock start position.

FIG. 11 is view, like FIG. 9, in which the lock member of the aboveumbrella retaining lock is located in a locking position.

FIG. 12 is a view showing the lock member used in the above umbrellaretaining lock, FIG. 12(A) is a view when viewed in a direction asindicated by an arrow A of FIG. 12(B), FIG. 12(B) is a plan view, andFIG. 12(C) is a view when viewed in a direction as indicated by an arrowC of FIG. 12(B).

FIG. 13 is a view showing a key shaft used in the above umbrellaretaining lock, FIG. 13(A) is a front view, FIG. 13(B) is a sectionalview taken on line B-B of FIG. 13(C), FIG. 13(C) is a plan view, andFIG. 13(D) is a sectional view taken on line D-D of FIG. 13(A).

FIG. 14 is a front view showing the second embodiment of an umbrellastorage apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a side view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a side view showing the above embodiment, in which asupporting member is rotated in a receiving position and a waterreceiving part is rotated in a folding position.

FIG. 18 is a front view showing the third embodiment of an umbrellastorage apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a plan view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a side view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken on line X-X of FIG. 19.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing the fourth embodiment of anumbrella storage apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a front view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a plan view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a side view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view showing an umbrella retaining lock used inthe above embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view showing the fifth embodiment of anumbrella storage apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a front view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a plan view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 30 is a side view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view showing the sixth embodiment of anumbrellas storage apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 32 is a front view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 33 is a plan view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 34 is a side view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing another example of an umbrellaretaining lock suitably used in an umbrella storage apparatus accordingto the present invention.

FIG. 36 is a plan view showing an essential part of the seventhembodiment of an umbrella storage apparatus according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 37 is a plan view showing an essential part of the eighthembodiment of an umbrella storage apparatus according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 38 is a perspective view showing the ninth embodiment of anumbrella storage apparatus according to the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Some embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafterwith reference to FIGS. 1 through 38.

FIGS. 1 through 13 shows the first embodiment of an umbrella storageapparatus according to the present invention. An umbrella storageapparatus A of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, includesan apparatus main body 1. The apparatus main body 1 includes asupporting column part 2 erected with its longitudinal directiondirecting upward and downward, and a water receiving part 3 disposed ata lower end part of this supporting column part 2.

The supporting column part 2 is formed in a box-like configuration whichis open at its front surface. A pair of mutually opposing bearing parts2 a, 2 a are disposed at opposing side parts in the left and rightdirection of an upper end face of the supporting column part 2. Thebearing parts 2 a, 2 a are integrally formed with the supporting columnpart 2. The pair of bearing parts 2 a, 2 a are arranged with their axesdirecting in the left and right direction and aligned with each other. Anotch part 2 b is formed at an upper end part of the front surface ofthe supporting column part 2. This notch part 2 b is arranged in such amanner as to be located between the pair of bearing parts 2 a, 2 a inthe left and right direction. A notch part 2 c is formed at a lower endpart of the front surface of the supporting column part 2. This notchpart 2 c is arranged at a generally same position as the notch part 2 bin the left and right direction. The notch part 2 c has an approximatelysame width (width in the left and right direction) as the notch part 2b.

A basal end part of the supporting member 4 is inserted between the pairof bearing parts 2 a, 2 a. The basal end part of the supporting member 4is rotatably supported by the bearing parts 2 a, 2 a about a horizontalaxis extending in the left and right direction. The rotating range ofthe supporting member 4 is restricted to between a use position where adistal end part of the supporting member 4 becomes approximately same inheight as the basal part and as a result, the entire supporting member 4becomes generally horizontal in posture and a receipt position where thedistal end part of the supporting member 4 is located normal anddownward to the basal end part. A lock mechanism (not shown) is disposedbetween the supporting member 4 and the supporting column part 2. Whenthe supporting member 4 is held in the use position and the lockmechanism is held in the locked state, the supporting member 4 ismaintained in the use position. When the locked state caused by thelocking mechanism is released, the supporting member 4 becomes able torotate from the use position to the receipt position. When thesupporting member 4 is rotated into the receipt position, its partadjacent to the bearing parts 2 a, 2 a on the lower side is brought intothe notch part 2 b and its part located on the lower side of the notchpart 2 b is almost entirely received in the supporting column part 2.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, a plurality of umbrella retaining locks 5are arranged at one side part (left side part in FUG. 5) in the left andright direction of the supporting member 4 along the longitudinaldirection of the supporting member 4, and a plurality of umbrellaretaining locks 5′ are arranged at the other side part along thelongitudinal direction of the supporting member 4. The umbrellaretaining locks 5, 5′, which are adjacent in the direction orthogonal tothe longitudinal direction of the supporting member 4, are arranged atthe same position in the longitudinal direction of the supporting member4. Since the umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ are fixed to the supportingmember 4, when the supporting member 4 is rotated between the useposition and the receipt position, the locks 5, 5′ are also rotatedintegrally with the supporting member 4. Moreover, the umbrellaretaining locks 5, 5′ are almost entirely received in the supportingcolumn part 2 when the supporting member 4 is rotated into the receiptposition. The construction of the umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ will bedescribed later.

The left side surface 2 d and the right side surface 2 e of thesupporting column part 2 are each comprised of a normal plane orthogonalto the axis of the bearing part 2 a. The left side surface 2 d islocated at the leftmost side in the entire umbrella storage apparatus A,and the right side surface 2 e is located at the rightmost side in theentire umbrella storage apparatus A. The left side surface 2 d and theright side surface 2 e each serves as a reference plane (hereinafter,the left side surface 2 d is referred to as the “left reference plane”and the right side surface 2 e is referred to as the “right referenceplane”). Instead of serving the entire left and right side surfaces 2 d,2 e each as a reference plane, it is accepted that a projection partprojecting in the left side direction is formed on a part of the sidesurface 2 d and a projection part projecting in the right side directionis formed on a part of the side surface 2 e, so that only distal endfaces of the projection parts may serve as a reference plane. The sameis true for each of the embodiments to be described hereinafter. A frontsurface 6 c facing leftward of the umbrella retaining lock 5 is arrangedto be separated inward by a predetermined distance with respect to theleft reference plane 2 d. A front face 6 c facing rightward of theumbrella retaining lock 5′ is arranged to be separated inward by thesame distance between the front surface 6 c of the umbrella retaininglock 5 and the left reference plane 2 d with respect to the rightreference plane 2 e. The distance between the left reference plane 2 dand the front surface 6 c of the umbrella retaining lock 5, and thedistance between the right reference plane 2 e and the front surface 6 cof the umbrella retaining lock 5′ are same. The distances are set to anyone of the following dimensions, for example.

Presume here that the left reference plane 2 d is face-contacted with anormal wall surface so that the supporting member 4 becomes parallel tothe normal wall surface. Then, a gap having the same dimension as thedistance between the left reference plane 2 d and the front surface 6 cis formed between the normal wall surface and the front surface 6 c ofthe umbrella retaining lock 5. The distance between the left referenceplane 2 d and the front surface 6 c is established such that an umbrellacan be inserted between the normal wall surface and the front surface 6c of the umbrella retaining lock 5 through this gap. In the like manner,the distance between the right reference plane 2 e and the front surface6 c of the umbrella retaining lock 5′ is established.

Otherwise, as shown in FIG. 2 or 3, presume that a plurality of umbrellastorage apparatuses A are, side by side, arranged in the left and rightdirection such that the left reference plane 2 d of one umbrella storageapparatus A and the right reference plane 2 e of the other umbrellastorage apparatus A are face-contacted with each other. By arranging so,a gap having a dimension twice as large as the distance between the leftreference plane 2 e and the front surface 6 c of the umbrella retaininglock 5 (this distance is equal to the distance between the rightreference plane 2 e and the front surface 6 c of the umbrella retaininglock 5′) is formed between the front surface 6 c of the umbrellaretaining lock 5 of the one umbrella storage apparatus A and the frontsurface 6 c of the umbrella retaining lock 5′ of the other umbrellastorage apparatus A which is adjacent to the one umbrella storageapparatus A. The distance between the left reference plane 2 d and thefront surface 6 c and the distance between the right reference plane 2 eand the front surface 6 c are established such that the umbrella can beinserted between the front surfaces 6 c, 6 c of the umbrella retaininglocks 5, 5′ of the adjacent two umbrella storage apparatuses A, Athrough this gap.

A basal end part of the water receiving part 3 is rotatably supported ona lower end part of the front surface of the supporting column part 2about the horizontal axis. The water receiving part 3 is formed in arectangular container, in a plan view, having an open top and a smalldepth. The water receiving part 3 is determined in its length in theback and forth direction and its width in the left and right directionsuch that any waterdrop dropping from any umbrella retained by anyumbrella retaining lock 5, 5′ can be received in the receiving part 3.Moreover, the width of the water receiving part 3 is established to benarrower than the width in the left and right direction of thesupporting column part 2, i.e., the distance between the left and rightreference places 2 d, 2 e within a range capable of satisfying suchconditions. Accordingly, the opposite side surfaces of the waterreceiving part 3 is located on the inner side in the left and rightdirection of the reference planes 2 d, 2 e of the supporting column part2.

The rotating range of the water receiving part 3 is restricted tobetween a water receiving position shown in FIG. 1 where the distal endpart of the water receiving part 3 extends generally horizontallyforward from the supporting column part 2 and a folding position wherethe distal end part extends generally normally upward from the basal endpart. The water receiving part 3 is rotated into the use position whenthe umbrella storage apparatus A is normally in use. The water receivingpart 3 rotated into the use position receives waterdrops dropping fromthe umbrellas retained by the umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′. On theother hand, the water receiving part 3 is rotated into the foldingposition when the umbrella storage apparatus A is not in use. The waterreceiving part 3 rotated into the folding position is mostly received inthe supporting column part 2. At that time, the water receiving part 3is generally in contact with the upper surfaces of keys 11, 11 of theumbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ which are located in the receiptposition.

One side part of a cosmetic cover 2 f is disposed at one side part inthe left and right direction of the front surface of the supportingcolumn part 2 such that the cosmetic cover 2 f can rotate between aclosed position indicated by a solid line and an open position asindicated by an imaginary line in FIG. 4 about an axis directing in theup and down direction. When the cosmetic cover 2 f is located in theopen position, the supporting member 4 and the umbrella retaining locks5, 5′ are allowed to rotate between the use position and the receivingposition and the water receiving part 3 is allowed to rotate between awater receiving position and a folding position. When the cosmetic cover2 f is located in the closed position, it covers fully the entiresupporting member 4 which is rotated into the receiving position onlyexcluding the upper end part, the entire umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′disposed at the supporting member 4, and the water receiving part 3which is rotated in the folding position. Even when the umbrella storageapparatus A is in use wherein the supporting member 4 is in the useposition and the water receiving part 3 is in the water receivingposition, the cosmetic cover 2 f is rotated to the closed position tocover the inside of the supporting column part 2. The width in the leftand right direction of the cosmetic cover 2 f is narrower than the widthin the left and right direction of the supporting column part 2. Whenthe cosmetic cover 2 f is located in the closed position, the oppositeside surfaces in the left and right direction of the cover 2 f arelocated on the inner side in the left and right direction of the leftand right reference planes 2 d, 2 e of the supporting column part 2.

Next, the construction of the umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ will bedescribed. As apparent from FIGS. 2 and 5, since the umbrella retaininglocks 5, 5′ are symmetrically constructed with respect to a line passingthrough the center of the supporting member 4, only one umbrellaretaining lock 5 will be described. With respect to the other umbrellaretaining lock 5′, identical component parts to those of the umbrellaretaining lock 5 are denoted by identical reference numeral anddescription thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the umbrella retaining lock 5 includes a mainbody part 6. The main body part 6 consists of an upper half member 6Aand a lower half member 6B. Both the upper and lower half members 6A, 6Bare obtained by molding from hard resin. The upper half members 6A andthe lower half member 6B are fixed with each other in their verticallyopposing postures. By this, the main body part 6 having a hollowrectangular parallelepiped configuration is constructed. An attachmentrecess 6 b is formed in a rear surface 6 a of the main body part 6 insuch a manner as to transverse the rear surface 6 a in the longitudinaldirection of the supporting member 4. By fixedly inserting one side partof the supporting member 4 in this attachment recess 6 b, the main bodypart 6 is attached to the supporting member 4 with its front surface 6 cdirecting in the horizontal direction which is orthogonal to thelongitudinal direction of the supporting member 4.

A receiving recess 6 d is formed in the front surface 6 c of the mainbody part 6. As shown in FIGS. 8 through 11, the receiving recess 6 dallows a grip part (part-to-be-retained) of the umbrella retained by theumbrella retaining lock 5 to insert therein, and transverses the frontsurface 6 c in the up and down direction. The deepest part of thereceiving recess 6 d is offset to the basal end side of the supportingmember 4 with respect to the central part of an opening part 6 e of thereceiving recess 6 d in the horizontal direction (left and rightdirection in FIG. 8) along the front surface 6 c. That is, the depth ofthe receiving recess 6 d becomes gradually larger toward the basal endside from the distal end side of the supporting member 4. The depthdirection of the receiving recess 6 d is inclined with respect to thelongitudinal direction (left and right direction in FIG. 8) of thesupporting member 4. This inclination angle is preferably set to about30 degrees to 45 degrees. In correspondence to inclination of the depthdirection of the receiving recess 6 d, the opposite side surfaces 6 g, 6h, which constitute a part of the bottom surface 6 f of the receivingrecess 6 d, is likewise inclined. By inclining the depth direction ofthe receiving recess 6 d with respect to the front surface 6 c, thelocation of the deepest part of the receiving recess 6 d is offset tothe basal end side of the supporting member 4 from the central part ofthe opening part 6 e of the receiving recess 6 d in the horizontaldirection along the front surface 6 c. A semi-circular arcuate surface(inner surface) 6 i whose opposite end parts are in contact with theside surfaces 6 g, 6 h, is formed between the end parts on the innerside of the opposite side surfaces 6 g, 6 h. Of course, this arcuatesurface 6 i also constitutes a part of the bottom surface 6 f.

It should be noted here that the expression “central part” of theopening part 6 e refers to a place which is located at a distance D/2from the opposite end edges, wherein D is a distance between theopposite end edges in the left and right direction in FIG. 8 of theopening part 6 e. In this case, the opposite end edges of the openingpart 6 e are bent instead of extending straight in the up and downdirection, so that the distances between the opposite end edges aredifferent at various parts in the up and down direction, theabove-mentioned “central part” refers to a central part at a place wherethe distance between the opposite end edges is narrowest, or it refersto a central part between a place located on the most basal end side ofthe supporting member 4 in the end edge (right-side end edge in FIG. 8)located on the distal end side of the supporting member 4 and a placelocated at the same position in the up and down direction as thefirst-mentioned end edge, in the end edge located on the basal end sideof the supporting member 4.

A relief surface 6 j is formed between the end edge located on thedistal end side of the supporting member 4 in the opposite end edgeswhich define the opening part 6 e of the receiving recess 6 d and theside surface 6 h (side surface 6 h opposing the opening part 6 e)adjacent to the first-mentioned end edge. This relief surface 6 j isinclined in the opposite direction to the side surface 6 h. In otherwords, the surface 6 j is inclined such that the relief surface 6 j isseparated from the front surface 6 c toward the distal end side from thebasal end side of the supporting member 4. A recess 6 k is defined bythe relief surface 6 j and the end part on the opening part 6 e side ofthe side surface 6 h. As shown in FIGS. 7, and 9 through 11, acommunication hole 61 for intercommunicating the inside of the main bodypart 6 and the inside of the receiving part 6 d is formed the area rangefrom the end part on the relief surface 6 j side of the side surface 6 hto the end part on the side surface 6 g side of the arcuate surface 6 i.

As shown in FIGS. 9 through 11, a lock member 7 is disposed at agenerally central part of the inside of the main body part 6. The lockmember 7 includes a core part (intermediate part) 7 a having a generallycircular configuration in section and with its axis directing in the upand down direction, an engagement part 7 b integral with the core part 7a and extending outward from the outer peripheral surface of the corepart 7 a along its radial direction, and an abutment part (movablemember) 7 c integral with the core part 7 a and extending outward alongthe radial direction of the core part 7 a from a place about 90 degreesseparated in the peripheral direction with respect to the engagementpart 7 b of the outer peripheral surface of the core part 7 a.

The core part 7 a is disposed at the inside of the main body part 6 andpositionally fixed to the main body part 6 such that the core part 7 acan rotate about its own axis. The rotating range of the core part 7 a,i.e., the rotating range of the lock member 7 is restricted to between areleasing position shown in FIG. 9 and a locking position shown in FIG.11. When the lock member 7 is located between the releasing position andan intermediate position which is offset by a predetermined angle towardthe releasing position side from the lock start position shown in FIG.10, the lock member 7 is rotationally biased toward the releasingposition from the locking position by a spring (rotation biasing means)disposed between the lock member 7 and the main body part 6. When thelock member 7 is located between the intermediate position and thelocking position, the lock member 7 is rotationally biased toward thelocking position side from the releasing position side by theafore-mentioned spring. When in the releasing position, the lock member7 is maintained in the releasing position by the biasing force of thespring 8 and when in the locking position, the lock member 7 ismaintained in the locking position by the biasing force of the spring 8.

As shown in FIG. 12, a plurality of ratchet teeth 7 d and a projection 7e are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the core part 7 a. Theratchet teeth 7 d and the projection 7 e are arranged at a generallycentral part of one of two parts, this one being longer in peripheraldirection, which are defined by the engagement part 7 b and the abutmentpart 7 c on the outer peripheral surface of the core part 7 a. Moreover,the ratchet teeth 7 d are arranged nearer to the abutment part 7 c andthe projection 7 e is arranged nearer to the engagement part 7 b. Theratchet teeth 7 d and the projection 7 e are slightly spacedly arrangedin the axial direction (up and down direction) of the core part 7 a.

The forward part of the engagement part 7 b is projected into thereceiving recess 6 d through the communication hole 61 irrespective ofthe rotational position of the lock member 7. Especially, when the lockmember 7 is located in the releasing position, the forward part (a part)of the engagement part 7 b is received in the recess 6 k and abuttedagainst the side surface 6 h, which defines the recess 6 k, by therotational biasing force of the spring 8. In other words, abutment ofthe engagement part 7 b against the side surface 6 h, which defines therecess 6 k, restricts the releasing position of the lock member 7. Whenthe lock member 7 is located in the releasing position, insertion of theforward part of the engagement part 7 b into the recess 6 k, prohibitsthe engagement part 7 b from projecting outward through the opening part6 e of the receiving recess 6 d, and the entire engagement part 7 b islocated on the inner side from the opening part 6 e of the receivingrecess 6 d. Accordingly, when the lock member 7 is located in thereleasing position, even if the grip part (part-to-be-retained) H of anumbrella erected in a vertical posture is moved backward (upward in FIG.2) between the umbrella retaining lock 5 attached to one side part ofone of the mutually adjacent two supporting members 4, 4 and theumbrella retaining lock 5′ attached to the other side part of the othersupporting member 4, the grip part H of the umbrella is never abuttedwith the engagement part 7 b and the lock member 7 is not rotated to thelocking position side from the releasing position by the grip part H. Asshown in FIG. 9, when the lock member 7 is located in the releasingposition, almost the entire engagement part 7 b is located on the insideof the receiving recess 6 d with respect to a line L which passesthrough the end edge of the recess 6 k side in the opening part 6 e ofthe receiving recess 6 d, and extends in parallel with the depthdirection of the receiving recess 6 d. Accordingly, when the grip part Hof the umbrella is inserted in the deep side along the depth directionthrough the opening part 6 e of the receiving recess 6 d, the grip partH is hardly abutted with the engagement part 7 b. Accordingly, anoccurrence of a state can be prevented in which the lock member 7 isrotated to the locking position side in accordance with the insertion ofthe grip part H into the receiving recess 6 d and as a result, the grippart H is prohibited from inserting in the deep side of the receivingrecess part 6 d by the engagement part 7 b.

When the lock member 7 is located in the releasing position, theabutment part 7 c is projected toward the inside of the receiving recess6 d after passing through the communication hole 61. Accordingly, whenthe grip part H is inserted into the receiving recess 6 d through theopening part 6 e along the line L, the grip part H is abutted againstthe one side surface facing the opening part 6 e side of the abutmentpart 7 c. When the grip part H is further inserted into the receivingrecess 6 d from that position, the lock member 7 is rotated toward thelocking position side from the releasing position side against therotational biasing force of the spring 8. When the lock member 7 arrivesat the lock start position shown in FIG. 10, the entire abutment part 7c is brought out of the receiving recess 6 d and located on the interiorside of the main body part 6. When the abutment part 7 c is abutted witha stopper part (not shown) disposed in the main body part 6, the lockmember 7 becomes unable to rotate further toward the locking positionside from the releasing position side. The location of the lock member 7at that time is the locking position. The abutment part 7 c is abuttedagainst the stopper part by the rotational biasing force of the spring8, thereby the lock member 7 is maintained in the locking position.

As shown in FIGS. 10 through 12, a key shaft 9 with its axis directingin the up and down direction is disposed within the main body part 6such that the key shaft 9 is rotatable about its axis but non-movable.The rotating range of this key shaft 9 is restricted between the lock-onposition and the lock-off position. The key shaft 9 is normallyrotational biased in a direction (opposite direction to the OPENdirection as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 8: clockwise direction inFIG. 9) toward the lock-on position side from the lock-off position sideby the spring 10. An engagement hole 9 a is formed in the key shaft 9such that the hole 9 a extends through the key shaft 9 along the axis ofthe key shaft 9. A key 11 is non-rotatably inserted in this engagementhole 9 a through a hey hole 6 m (see FIG. 5) formed in the upper surfaceof the upper half member 6A. The key shaft 9 is rotationally operated bythe key 11. When the key 11 is located in the lock-on position, the key11 can be withdrawn from the key hole 6 m, but when the key 11 islocated in any other position than the lock-on position, the key 11cannot be withdrawn from the key hole 6 m. Since the constructioncapable of achieving such operation is known and since it is not anessential part of the present invention, either, description thereof isomitted.

A lock member 12 is disposed within the main body part 6. One end partof this lock member 12 is rotatably supported by the main body part 6through the shaft 13 with its axis directing in the up and downdirection. The other end part of the lock member 12 is opposed to theouter peripheral surface of the core part 7 a. At least one ratchettooth 12 a is formed on the other end part of the lock member 12 whichis opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the core part 7 a. Whenthis ratchet tooth 12 a is engaged with the ratchet teeth 7 d formed onthe core part 7 a of the lock member 7, the lock member 7 becomesrotatable only from the releasing position side toward the lockingposition side, and the member 7 is prohibited from rotating from thelocking position side toward the releasing position side.

The lock member 12 is normally rotationally biased by a spring (notshown) in a direction where its ratchet toot 12 a approaches the corepart 7 a. However, a cam surface 12 b is formed on the opposing surfaceto the core part 7 a of the lock member 12. When the key shaft 9 islocated in the lock-off position and the lock member 7 is located in thereleasing position, this cam surface 12 b is, as shown in FIG. 9,brought to be in parallel with the key shaft 9 and abutted with anengagement shaft part 9 b, opposite ends of which are integrallyconnected to the key shaft 9 (see FIG. 11). By this, the lock member 12is prohibited from rotating toward the lock member 7 side and the keyshaft 9 is prohibited from rotating toward the lock-on position sidefrom the lock-off position.

When the lock member 7 is rotated by a predetermined angle toward thelocking position side from the releasing position, the projection 7 e isabutted with the engagement shaft part 9 b to cause the key shaft 9 torotate toward the lock-on position side from the lock-off position. Whenthe lock member 7 is arrived at the lock start position shown in FIG.10, the cam surface 12 b allows the key shaft 9 to rotate to the lock-onposition, and the key shaft 9 is forcibly rotated to the lock-onposition by the biasing force of the spring 10. Then, the engagementshaft member 9 b is brought into a recess 12 c which is formedcontinuously on the cam surface 12 b. As a result, the lock member 12becomes rotatable toward the lock member 7 side. When the lock member 12is rotated toward the lock member 7 side by the rotational biasing forceof the spring, the ratchet tooth 12 a formed on the distal end part ofthe lock member 12 is engaged with the ratchet tooth 7 d adjacent to theprojection 7 e of the plurality of ratchet teeth 7 d. When the ratchettooth 12 a is engaged with the ratchet tooth 7 d, the lock member 7 isprohibited from rotating toward the releasing position side from thelocking position side by the lock member 12, and the lock member 7 isallowed to rotate only toward the locking position side. Accordingly, asshown in FIG. 10 or 11, when the grip part H is inserted in thereceiving recess 6 d until it hits the bottom surface 6 f of thereceiving recess 6 d, the lock member 7 is rotated by the spring 10toward the locking position side until it is brought to the position inaccordance with the thickness of the grip part H. As a result, the grippart H is fixedly sandwiched between the engagement part 7 b and thebottom surface 6 f. Moreover, since the lock member 7 is never rotatedtoward the releasing position side, the grip part H is not escaped fromthe receiving recess 6 d.

In case the grip part H is in a state retained by the receiving recess 6d, since the key shaft 9 is rotated to the lock-on position the key 11can be withdrawn from the engagement hole 9 a and the key hole 6 m. Whenthe key 11 is withdrawn from the key hole 6 m, the key shaft 9 cannot berotated toward the lock-off position side from the lock-on positionside. Thus, the grip part H can hardly be escaped from the receivingrecess 6 d. In case the grip part H is in the shape of a letter “J”, thegrip part H cannot be escaped from the receiving recess 6 d unless thelock member 7 is rotated toward the releasing position side. However, incase the grip part H is straight as in a foldable umbrella, the grippart H is easily escaped downward from the receiving recess 6 d when itis pushed downward. In order to prevent such a situation from occurring,the core part 7 a is provided at an area on its outer peripheral surfacefacing the receiving recess 6 d with a friction member 14 formed ofmaterial having a large friction resistance such as rubber. When thisfriction member 14 is contacted with the grip part H, the grip part H isprohibited as much as possible from escaping in the up and downdirection from the receiving recess 6 d by the friction resistancegenerated therebetween.

In case the grip part H is to be escaped from the receiving recess 6 d,the key 11 is inserted in the key hole 6 m and the engagement hole 9 a.And the key shaft 9 is rotated by the key 11 toward the lock-offposition side from the lock-on position side against the rotationalbiasing force of the spring 10. Then, the engagement shaft part 9 b isbrought into abutment with the side surface continuous with the camsurface 12 b of the recess 12 c of the lock member 12. The lock member12 is rotated by the engagement shaft part 9 b in such a manner as to beseparated from the lock member 7 against the biasing force of thespring. As a result, the engagement between the ratchet teeth 12 a, 7 dis released, and the lock member 7 becomes rotatable toward thereleasing position side from the locking position side. When the keyshaft 9 is further rotated toward the lock-off position side by the key11, the engagement shaft part 9 is brought into abutment with theprojection 7 e of the lock member 7 so that the lock member 7 is rotatedtoward the releasing position side from the locking position side. Whenthe lock member 7 is rotated toward the releasing position side beyond,even slightly, the intermediate position in accordance with the rotationof the key shaft 9, the lock member 7 is rotated to the releasingposition by the spring 8. The key shaft 9 is rotated to the lock-offposition by the key 11 against the biasing force of the spring 10. As aresult, the umbrella retaining lock 5 is returned into the originalstate as shown in FIG. 9. At that time, the key hole 11 is in a stateunable to escape from the key hole 6 m.

One end part of a shielding member 15 is rotatably connected to anintermediate part between the projection 7 e and the engagement part 7 bof the entire outer peripheral of the core part 7 a. The other end partof this shielding member 15 is movably connected to the shaft 13. Whenthe lock member 7 is located in the releasing position, the shieldingmember 15 is, as shown in FIG. 9, fully brought into the main body part6. However, as shown in FIG. 11, when the lock member 7 is located inthe locking position, the shielding member 15 shields a part (end parton the recess 6 k side) of the communication hole 61 which is opened bythe lock member 7 being located in the locking position.

In the umbrella storage apparatus A thus constructed, since the umbrellaretaining locks 5, 5′ are disposed at only one supporting member 4, thegrip part (part-to-be-retained) H of the umbrella can be inserted in thereceiving recess 6 d without lifting up the umbrella to a level higherthan the umbrella supporting member 4. As shown in FIG. 2 or 3, even ina case where a plurality of umbrella storage apparatuses A are arranged,side by side, in the left and right direction, since a gap opening onthe front side in the longitudinal direction of the supporting member 4is formed between the umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ of one umbrellastorage apparatus A and the umbrella retaining locks 5′, 5 of theumbrella retaining apparatus A adjacent thereto, the umbrella can bemoved in the horizontal direction toward the basal end side from thefront side of the supporting member 4 through the gap without lifting upthe umbrella to a level higher than the supporting member 4 until theumbrella is brought to the empty umbrella retaining lock 5 (5′).Accordingly, there can be prevented a situation from occurring in whichthe grip part, etc., of other umbrellas already stored in the umbrellastorage apparatus A get wet by waterdrops dropping from the umbrella tobe stored in the umbrella storage apparatus A. The same is true withrespect to the case wherein the umbrella storage apparatuses A arearranged along a normal wall surface. Moreover, since the umbrellaretaining locks 5, 5′ are disposed at the opposite side parts of thesupporting member 4, the installation number of the umbrella retaininglocks 5, 5′ can be increased compared with the case wherein the umbrellaretaining locks 5 or 5′ are disposed at only one side part of thesupporting member 4.

Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be described. Withrespect to the embodiments to be described hereinafter, only theconstruction different from the above embodiment is described, and theidentical component parts are denoted by identical reference numeral anddescription thereof is omitted.

FIGS. 14 through 17 show the second embodiment of the present invention.In an umbrella storage apparatus B of this embodiment, an apparatus mainbody 20 is used instead of the apparatus main body 1 of the umbrellastorage apparatus A of the above embodiment. The apparatus main body 20includes a pair of basal parts 21, 21 which are mutually separatelyarranged in the left and right direction. The pair of basal parts 21, 21are fixedly connected together by a connection member 22 disposedtherebetween. A caster K with a stop mechanism is disposed at a frontend part and a rear end part of the lower surfaces of the respectivebasal parts 21, 21. Owing to this arrangement, the umbrella storageapparatus B can easily be moved and the apparatus B can be positionallyfixed to a desired place. Supporting column parts 23, 23 are erected intheir normal postures from the upper surfaces of the respective basalparts 21, 21. A reinforcement member 24 is suspended at the intermediateparts in the up and down direction of the supporting column parts 23,23. A rotatable member (retaining member) 25 is rotatably disposedbetween the upper end parts of the supporting column parts 23, 23 forrotation about a horizontal axis extending in the left and rightdirection. A basal end part of a water receiving part 3 is rotatablysupported between the lower end parts of the supporting column parts 23,23 for rotation about the horizontal axis.

Basal end parts of a plurality of supporting members 4 are fixed to therotatable member 25. The respective supporting members 4 mutuallyseparately arranged in the longitudinal direction (left and rightdirection) of the rotatable member 25. Moreover, the respectivesupporting members 4 are arranged at the same positions in theperipheral direction of the rotatable member 25 and extend in the samedirection in mutually parallel relation. Of course, the respectivesupporting members 4 extend forward generally in their horizontalpostures when in use position and they extend downward generally intheir normal postures when in receiving position. A plurality ofumbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ are disposed at opposite side parts inthe left and right direction of the supporting member 4 along thelongitudinal direction of the supporting member 4, respectively. Theleftward and rightward adjacent supporting members 4, 4 are separated inthe left and right direction with a predetermined distance. That is, inorder to form a gap necessary for moving an umbrella in the back andforth direction, the supporting members 4, 4 are separately arranged inthe left and right direction between the umbrella retaining locks 5,(5′) disposed at one supporting member 4 and the umbrella retaininglocks 5′, (5) disposed at the other supporting member 4 adjacent to theabove-mentioned one supporting member 4. The gap formed between theumbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ is open forward of the supporting member4, so that an umbrella erected upward and downward can be inserted inthe gap from the front side in the longitudinal direction of thesupporting member 4. Moreover, if the gap formed between the umbrellaretaining locks 5, 5′ should be extended to the upper surface of thewater receiving part 3, the extended part would be also open forward.Accordingly, the umbrella can be inserted into the gap merely by movingthe umbrella toward the upper side from the water receiving part 3.However, instead of opening forward the entire range of the gap, whichis formed between the umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′, extending to thewater receiving part 3, only the range extending toward the lower sideby a predetermined distance from the supporting member 4 may be open asin the sixth embodiment to be described later.

After the supporting member 4 is rotated into the receiving position,the water receiving part 3 is rotated into the folding position and thewater receiving part 3 is locked to a lock member 23 disposed at asupporting column part 23, thereby the supporting member 4 and the waterreceiving part 3 can be positionally fixed to the receiving position andthe folding position.

In the umbrella storage apparatus B of this embodiment, in case the grippart H of an umbrella is to be inserted in a receiving recess 6 d of theumbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ of this embodiment, the umbrella iserected with the grip part on the upper side, and this umbrella isinserted between the umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ which are disposedat one and the other side parts of the leftward and rightward adjacentsupporting members 4, 4 from the distal end side of the supportingmember 4. Then, the umbrella can be inserted in the receiving recess 6 dof the empty umbrella retaining lock 5 or 5′. At that time, since thereceiving recess 6 d is inclined such that depth of the recess 6 dbecomes deeper toward the basal end side from the distal end side of thesupporting member 4, and as a result, the deepest part of the receivingrecess 6 d is offset toward the basal end side of the supporting member4 with respect to the center of the receiving recess 6 d in thelongitudinal direction of the supporting member 4, the grip part H ofthe umbrella can be inserted in the receiving recess 6 d without greatlychanging the moving direction of the umbrella. Accordingly, the grippart H can easily be inserted in the receiving recess 6 d compared withthe conventional umbrella storage apparatus in which the depth directionof the receiving recess 6 d is directed in a direction orthogonal to thelongitudinal direction of the supporting member 4. For the same reason,the grip part H can easily be taken out of the receiving recess 6 d.

In this umbrella storage apparatus B, the casters K, K are locatedoutside of the side surfaces 23 b, 23 b facing outside in the left andright direction of the supporting column parts 23, 23. However, byproviding the caster K on the inner side from the side surface 23 b andby making the relation between the side surface 23 b and the frontsurface 6 c of the umbrella retaining lock 5 (5′) as in the case withthe relation between the comparable components in the first embodiment,the side surface 23 b may serve as a reference plane and a plurality ofumbrella storage apparatuses B may be arranged side by side leftward andrightward and used in that condition.

FIGS. 18 through 21 show the third embodiment of the present invention.In an umbrella storage apparatus C according to this embodiment, anapparatus main body 30 is used. In this apparatus main body 30, castersK are disposed at the lower surface part of a water receiving surface 3.Lower end parts of a plurality of front supporting column parts (secondsupporting column parts) 31 which are separately arranged in the leftand right direction are fixed to the front surface of the waterreceiving part 3 and lower end parts of a plurality of rear supportingcolumn parts (supporting column parts) 32 which are separately arrangedin the left and right direction are fixed to the rear surface of thewater receiving part 3. A front end part and a rear end part of asupporting member 4 extending in a horizontal posture in the back andforth direction are fixedly supported by upper end parts of the frontand rear supporting column parts 31, 32 opposing in the back and forthdirection. Namely, the supporting member 4 is supported in a cantileversupporting fashion in the above-mentioned two embodiments, while in theumbrella storage apparatus C of this embodiment, the supporting member 4is supported in a two parts supporting fashion. The side surfaces(reference planes) 3 a, 3 b directing in the left and right direction ofthe water receiving part 3 are located at outer sides in the left andright direction from any part of the entire umbrella storage apparatusC, and they are separated from the respective front surfaces of theumbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ with the same relation as the relationbetween the reference planes 2 d, 2 e and the front surface 6 c of thefirst embodiment. Accordingly, in the plurality of umbrella storageapparatuses C, by arranging one umbrella storage apparatus C and otherumbrella storage apparatuses C, side by side, in the left and rightdirection with the side surface 3 a (3 b) of the one umbrella storageapparatus and the side surfaces 3 b (3 a) of the other umbrella storageapparatuses C surface-contacted with each other, the plurality ofumbrella storage apparatuses C can be used as if they were one umbrellastorage apparatus. All the other construction is same as in theabove-mentioned umbrella storage apparatus B.

FIGS. 22 through 26 show the fourth embodiment of the present invention.In an umbrella storage apparatus D of this embodiment, an apparatus mainbody 40 is used instead of the apparatus main body 20 of the umbrellastorage apparatus B. Two supporting column parts 41 are fixedly erectedfrom the upper surface of a water receiving part 3 of the apparatus mainbody 40. Two supporting column parts 41, 41 are arranged at the oppositeleft and right corner parts on the rear end side of the upper surface ofthe water receiving part 3, respectively. Reinforcement connectionmembers 42 are disposed between the intermediate parts in the up anddown direction of the supporting column parts 41, 41. One end part andthe other end part of a retaining member 43 extending horizontally inthe left and right direction are integrally disposed at the upper endparts of the supporting column parts 41, 41. Basal end parts of aplurality of supporting members 4 are integrally disposed at the frontsurface of a retaining member 43. Accordingly, in this apparatus mainbody 40, the supporting column parts 41, the retaining member 43 and thesupporting members 4 are integrally disposed. Of course, it is acceptedthat the supporting column parts 41, the retaining member 43 and thesupporting members 4 are separately made and then they are mutuallyfixed together. The respective supporting members 4 extend horizontallyforward and in mutually parallel relation from the retaining member 43.Of course, the leftward and rightward adjacent supporting members 4, 4are separated at a predetermined distance. Reinforcement members 44 aredisposed between the distal end parts of the supporting members 4 whichare arranged at the opposite left and right ends and the supportingcolumn parts 41, and between the distal end parts of the supportingmembers 4 which are arranged at the intermediate parts in the left andright direction and the connection member 42.

Umbrella retaining locks 50 instead of the umbrella retaining locks 5,5′ are disposed at a right side part of the supporting member 4 which isarranged at the left end, a left side part of the supporting member 4which is arranged at the right end, and the left and right side parts ofthe supporting member 4 which are arranged at the intermediate part.Each umbrella retaining lock 50 includes a main body part 51. Anattachment recess 52 is formed in a rear surface of this main body part51. On side part of the supporting member 4 is fitted to this attachmentrecess 52. The main body part 51 is fixed to the supporting member 4 byfixing means such as a machine screw (not shown).

A receiving recess 54 is formed in a front surface part 53 facing in theleft and right direction of the main body part 51 in such a manner as tovertically divide the front surface part 53 in the up and downdirection. In case of an umbrella having a grip part(part-to-be-retained) formed, for example, in a shape of a letter “J”,the linear upper end part (the lower end part when the umbrella isstored therein in its up-side-down posture) of the umbrella is removablyinserted in this receiving recess 54. In case of an umbrella, such as afoldable umbrella having a large and thick grip part, a part of anintermediate shaft extending upward (downward when the umbrella isstored therein in its up-side-down posture) from the grip part andlocated in the vicinity of the grip part is removably inserted in thereceiving recess 54. The main body part 51 is provided with an openingand closing member 55 bent to have a generally arcuate shape. A part ofthis opening and closing member 55 projects from a front surface part 53of the main body part 51. The opening and closing member 55 is disposedat a location adjacent to the receiving part 54 in the back and forthdirection. That is, in the umbrella retaining lock 50 which is disposedat the right side part of the supporting member 4, the opening andclosing member 55 is disposed behind the receiving recess 54, while inthe umbrella retaining lock 50 which is disposed at the left side partof the supporting member 4, the opening and closing member 55 isdisposed in front of the receiving recess 54. This arrangement resultsin that same umbrella retaining locks are used as the umbrella retaininglocks 50, 50 which are arranged at the left and right side parts of thesupporting member 4. Of course, the umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ maybe used instead of the umbrella retaining lock 50.

The opening and closing member 55, just like the opening and closingmember of an umbrella retaining lock disclosed in Japanese Utility ModelApplication Laid-Open No. H04-20585, for example, is retractablyrotatable between an open position as indicated by a solid line of FIG.26 and a closed position as indicated by an imaginary line. When anumbrella is inserted into the receiving recess 54 until its grip part orintermediate shaft is almost abutted with the bottom surface of thereceiving recess 54 and a control projection (not shown) projecting fromthe bottom surface of the receiving recess 54 is pushed by the grip partor intermediate shaft toward the bottom surface side until it reaches apredetermined location, the opening and closing member 55 located in theopen position is rotationally displaced into the closed position againstbiasing means which is installed within the main body part 51. Whenrotationally moved into the closed position, the opening and closingmember 55 is locked to the closed position by a latch mechanism (notshown) which is installed within the main body part 51. In this state,since a part of an opening part on the front side of the receivingrecess 54 is closed by the opening and closing member 55, the grip partor intermediate shaft of the umbrella cannot be removed from thereceiving recess 54, and a key 11 for releasing the latch mechanism isrotated by about 90 degrees in one direction (for example, clockwisedirection) from the state shown in FIG. 26, so that the key 11 can bewithdrawn from a key hole (not shown) formed in the upper surface of themain body part 51. When the key 11 is withdrawn from the key hole, theopening and closing member 55 is locked to the closed position. On theother hand, when the key 11 is inserted into the key hole and rotated byabout 90 degrees but in the opposite direction, the locked state of theopening and closing member 55 caused by the latch mechanism is released,and the opening closing member 55 is rotationally displaced into theopen position by biasing means. In this state, the grip part orintermediate shaft of the umbrella can be withdrawn from the receivingrecess 54 but the key 11 cannot be withdrawn from the key hole.

FIGS. 27 through 30 show the fifth embodiment of the present invention.An umbrella storage apparatus E of this embodiment is a modification ofthe umbrella storage apparatus D and an apparatus main body 40′ is usedinstead of the apparatus main body 40. In the apparatus main body 40′, arear surface opening part of the apparatus main body 40′ which isdefined by a supporting column part 41, a retaining member 43 and awater receiving part 3 is closed by a punch board 45. Second columnparts 46 extending up and down are disposed between front end parts ofsupporting members 4 and a front end part of the upper surface of thewater receiving part 3. Although the second supporting column parts 46are integrally formed with the supporting members 4, they may beseparately formed and then fixed to the supporting members 4 by bondingor other fixing means. Reinforcement members 47 are disposed between theintermediate parts in the up and down direction of the second supportingcolumn parts 46 and the supporting column parts 41 which are arranged atthe left and right end parts and between the second supporting columnparts which are arranged at the intermediate parts in the left and rightdirection and the punch board 45.

FIGS. 31 through 34 show the sixth embodiment of the present invention.In an apparatus main body 40″ of an umbrella storage apparatus F of thisembodiment, a plurality of supporting column parts 41 erected from oneleft and right side part of the upper surface of a water receiving part3, and second supporting column parts 46 are erected from the other sidepart. The supporting column parts 41 are arranged at a predetermineddistance in the back and forth direction. The second supporting columnparts 46 are arranged at the same distance as the supporting columnparts 41 likewise in the back and forth direction and placed opposite tothe supporting column parts 41 in the left and right direction. One andthe other end parts of the supporting members 4 horizontally extendingin the left and right direction are integrally disposed at the upper endparts of the supporting column parts 41 and the second supporting columnparts 46 which are mutually opposed to each other in the left and rightdirection. Umbrella retaining locks 50 are disposed at a side part of arear end side of a supporting member 4 disposed at a front end, a sidepart of a front end side of the supporting member 4 disposed at a rearend, and each of opposite side parts of the supporting member disposedat an intermediate part in the back and forth direction. Every front andrear two adjacent supporting members 4, 4 are separately arranged by apredetermined distance in the back and forth direction, so that anumbrella can be inserted between the umbrella retaining locks 50, 50. Agap formed between the umbrella retaining locks 50, 50 and a clearanceformed by extending this gap to the water receiving part 3 are open inthe left and right direction from the opposite left and right end partsof each supporting member 4. As indicated by imaginary lines in FIG. 31,by providing a reinforcement member 48 between the intermediate parts inthe up and down direction of every adjacent front and rear secondsupporting column parts, the clearance may be open in the left and rightdirection by a range restricted by the reinforcement member 48 downwardfrom the supporting member 4. A reinforcement member 48 is disposedbetween the intermediate parts of each supporting column part 41 andeach second supporting column part 46 which is opposite to thesupporting column part 41 in the left and right direction.

In this umbrella storage apparatus F, the gap formed between theumbrella retaining locks 50, 50 which are disposed at the supportingmembers 4, 4 which are adjacent in the back and forth direction, and theclearance obtained by extending this gap to the water receiving part 3are open in the left and right direction from the opposite left andright end parts of the supporting members 4, 4. Accordingly, in case anumbrella is to be retained by the umbrella retaining lock 50, theumbrella can be inserted between the umbrella retaining locks 50, 50through the left side and right side opening parts, and inserted in thereceiving recess 54 of the empty umbrella retaining lock 50.

FIG. 35 shows another example of an umbrella retaining lock suited to beused for an umbrella storage apparatus according to the presentinvention. In this umbrella retaining lock 60, an attachment recess 62is formed in a rear surface part of the main body part 61. Thisattachment recess 62 transverses the rear surface part in thelongitudinal direction of the supporting member 4. After one side partof the supporting member 4 is inserted in this attachment recess 62, themain body part 61 is fixed to the supporting member 4 by fixing meanssuch as a machine screw. A front surface 63 of the main body part 61 isgenerally in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the supportingmember 4. A retaining body 64 is disposed at one end part of the frontsurface 63 in the longitudinal direction of the supporting member 4.This retaining body 64 includes a vertical part 64 a projecting forwardfrom the front surface 63 and a horizontal part 64 b horizontallyextending from the distal end side of the vertical part 64 a to theother end side along the front surface 63. A receiving recess 65 whoseopposite ends in the up and down direction is open and whose one sidepart facing the other end side of the main body part 61 is open, isdefined by a vertical part 64 a, the horizontal part 64 b and the frontsurface 63. A part-to-be-retained, such as, a grip part or anintermediate shaft part of an umbrella are inserted in this receivingrecess 65 all the way therethrough in the up and down direction.

A window hole 66 is formed in the other end part of the front surface 63of the main body 61. An opening and closing member 67 is inserted inthis window hole 66. This opening and closing member 67 is placed withinthe main body part 21 such that the member 67 is retractable anddisplaceable with respect to the front surface 63. The opening andclosing member 67 is placed within the main body part 21 such that themember 67 is rotationally displaceably between an open position wherethe entire opening and closing member 67 is brought into the window hole66, and a closed position where one end part is projected through thewindow hole 66 and proximate in opposing relation to the distal end partof the horizontal part 64 b. When the opening and closing member 67 isdisplaced to the open position, the part-to-be-retained of the umbrellacan be inserted in and withdrawn from the receiving recess 65. When theopening and closing member 67 is displaced to the closed position, thepart to be retain, which is inserted in the receiving recess 65, cannotbe escaped from the receiving recess 65.

In case the umbrella retaining lock 60 thus constructed is to be used inan umbrella storage apparatus, the umbrella retaining lock 60 isattached to the supporting member 4. In this case, the umbrellaretaining lock 60 is attached to the supporting member 4 such that oneend opening part of the receiving recess 65 faces the open end part sideof the gap between the supporting members 4, 4 which are adjacent toeach other in the left and right direction. In the umbrella retainingapparatus with the umbrella retaining lock 60 attached thereto, theumbrella is inserted between the supporting members 4, 4 through itsopen end part side, and simply moved along the front surface 63 of theumbrella retaining lock 60. By doing so, the part-to-be-retained of theumbrella can be inserted into the receiving recess 65. When the key 11is rotated by about 90 degrees from the opening position shown in FIG.35 to the closed position after the part-to-be-retained is inserted inthe receiving recess 65, the opening and closing member 67 closes theopening part of the receiving recess 65. By this, the umbrella is storedin the umbrella storage apparatus. Thereafter, the key 11 is withdrawnfrom the key hole (not shown).

In case the umbrella stored in the umbrella storage apparatus is to beremoved therefrom, the key 11 is inserted in the key hole and rotatedinto the open position. Then, the opening and closing member 67 isdisplaced into the open position to open the receiving recess. Then, bymoving the umbrella in to opposite direction to the direction at thetime of inserting the umbrella in the umbrella storage apparatus, theumbrella is withdrawn from the receiving recess 65 and also withdrawnbetween the supporting members 4, 4 through the opening part.

FIG. 36 shows an essential part of the seventh embodiment of an umbrellastorage apparatus according to the present invention. In thisembodiment, the supporting members 4 are bent at their basal end partson the retaining member 25 side. As a result, a part on the distal endside from the bent part of each supporting member 4 is diagonally,instead of orthogonally, extended with respect to the retaining member25. And umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ are disposed at opposite sideparts of the part on the distal end side which is inclined with respectto the retaining member 25.

FIG. 37 shows an essential part of the eighth embodiment of an umbrellastorage apparatus according to the present invention. In thisembodiment, the basal end part of each supporting member 4 is supportedby a retaining member 25 such that the supporting member 4 ishorizontally rotatable about an axis extending in the up and downdirection. Accordingly, the respective supporting members 4 can be usedin their postures directing in desired directions. After being directedin desired directions, the respective supporting members 4 are fixed tothe retaining member 25 by fixing means which is disposed between eachsupporting member 4 and the retaining member 25.

FIG. 38 shows the ninth embodiment of an umbrella storage apparatusaccording to the present invention. In an umbrella storage apparatus Gof this embodiment, a water receiving part 3 is formed in a circularshape. A supporting column part 2 is fixedly erected in its normalposture from the central part of the water receiving part 3. A disc part2 g is disposed at an upper end part of the supporting column part 2.Basal end parts of a plurality (four in this embodiment) of supportingmembers 4 are fixed to the outer peripheral surface of this disc part 2g. The respective supporting members 4 are equidistantly arranged in theperipheral direction of the disc part 2 g. Moreover, the supportingmembers 4 are radially arranged at the disc part 2 g with theirlongitudinal direction directing in the horizontal direction. Aplurality of umbrella retaining locks 5, 5′ are disposed at the oppositeside parts of each supporting member 4. Every adjacent supportingmembers 4, 4 in the peripheral direction of the disc part 2 g arehorizontally separately arranged by a predetermined distance so that anumbrella can be inserted between the distal end parts toward the basalend side and further inserted between the umbrella retaining locks 5,5′.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodimentsbut many changes and modifications can be made in accordance withnecessity.

For example, in the above embodiment, the supporting members 4 locatedin a use position, are horizontally arranged. However, it is alsoaccepted the supporting members 4 are inclined downward in the forwarddirection.

In the umbrella storage apparatus according to the present invention,the wall part of the skeleton structure of a house or building may serveas the apparatus main body. In that case, a recess extending upward anddownward is formed in the wall surface of the wall part serving as theapparatus main body. A supporting member is disposed at an upper endpart of this recess such that the supporting member is rotatable betweena used position and a receiving position, and a water receiving part isdisposed at a lower end part of the recess such that the water receivingpart is rotatable between a water receiving position and a foldingposition. A part, which is adjacent either in the left or rightdirection with respect to the recess formed in the wall surface of theskeleton structure is provided with a cosmetic cover. The supportingmember and the water receiving part rotated into the receiving positionand the folding position, respectively, and umbrella retaining locksattached to the supporting member are receiving in the recess. Then, therecess is closed by the cosmetic cover rotated into the closed positionfrom the open position, so that the supporting member, the waterreceiving part and the umbrella retaining locks are shielded from theoutside.

Moreover, a plurality of supporting members 4 may be integrally formed.This will be hereinafter described with reference to the example of theabove-mentioned umbrella storage apparatus G. The umbrella storageapparatus G can be modified in the following manner. That is, thesupporting column part 2 is merely formed in a circular column-likeshape without providing the disc part 2 g on the upper end part of thesupporting column part 2. Of four supporting members 4, two supportingmember 4 arranged on a straight line are mutually integrally formed.Then, an intermediate part of the integrally formed supporting member isfixedly placed on the upper end face of the supporting column part 2.The basal end parts of the remaining two supporting members 4, 4arranged on another straight line are fixed to the opposite sidesurfaces of the intermediate part of the integrally formed supportingmember. In an umbrella storage apparatus thus constructed, theintermediate part of the integrally formed supporting member constitutesthe both basal end parts of the supporting member 4 on one end side inthe longitudinal direction and the supporting member 4 on the other endside. Moreover, one end part and the other end part of the integrallyformed supporting member constitute the distal end parts of therespective supporting members 4, 4, respectively.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can be utilized as an umbrella storage apparatuswhich is designed such that the grip parts, etc. of the umbrellasalready stored will not get wet by waterdrops dropping from theumbrellas which are to be stored thereafter.

1. An umbrella storage apparatus comprising an apparatus main body, a supporting member arranged with a longitudinal direction thereof directing in a direction intersecting with an up and down direction and with a basal part thereof supported on said apparatus main body, and a plurality of umbrella retaining locks disposed, side by side, on at least one side part of said supporting member along said longitudinal direction of said supporting member and adapted to retain a part-to-be-retained of the umbrella.
 2. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus main body is provided at least at one side part thereof with a reference plane directing in an arrangement direction orthogonal to an up and down direction and a longitudinal direction of said supporting member, and said reference plane is arranged to be separated by a predetermined distance or more in the arrangement direction from said umbrella storage apparatus.
 3. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the basal end part of said supporting member is rotatably supported on said apparatus main body about a horizontal axis between a use position where the longitudinal direction of said supporting member is directed in a direction intersecting with the up and down direction and a receipt position where the distal end part is located generally downward of the basal end part and the entire supporting member is disposed generally along said apparatus main body, said apparatus main body is rotatably provided with a cosmetic cover, said cosmetic cover can rotate between an open position and a closed position, said cosmetic cover, when located in the open position, allows said supporting member to rotate between the use position and the receipt position and when located in the closed position, covers said supporting member located in the receiving position and said umbrella retaining lock in co-action with said apparatus main body.
 4. An umbrella storage apparatus comprising an apparatus main body, a plurality of supporting members arranged with a longitudinal direction thereof directing in a direction intersecting with an up and down direction and with basal parts thereof supported on said apparatus main body, a plurality of umbrella retaining locks disposed, side by side, on at least one side parts of said supporting members along said longitudinal direction of said supporting member and each adapted to retain a part-to-be-retained of the umbrella, said supporting members are mutually spacedly arranged in the horizontal direction, and a gap between said mutually adjacent two supporting members and an extension part of said gap downward by a predetermined distance are open forward in the longitudinal direction of said supporting members.
 5. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of supporting members are arranged in mutually parallel relation.
 6. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said apparatus main body is provided at least at one side part thereof in the separation direction of said plurality of supporting members with a reference plane directing toward the outside in the separation direction, said reference plane is arranged to be separated outward by a predetermined distance or more from said umbrella retaining lock adjacent the inner side in the separation direction with respect to said reference plane.
 7. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said apparatus main body includes a plurality of supporting column parts mutually spacedly arranged on a horizontal straight line and vertically erected, and a plurality of second supporting column parts arranged in opposing relation on a straight line parallel to said straight line on which said plurality of supporting column parts are arranged and vertically erected, and the basal end parts and the distal end parts of said supporting members are supported on said mutually opposing supporting column parts and said second supporting column parts, respectively.
 8. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least an upper part of a gap between said mutually adjacent second supporting column parts is open forward in the longitudinal direction of said supporting members.
 9. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a reference plane directing toward the outside in the separation direction is disposed at least at one side part of said apparatus main body in the separation direction of said supporting member, and said reference plane is arranged to be separated outward by a predetermined distance or more from said umbrella retaining lock adjacent to the inside in the separation direction with respect to said reference plane.
 10. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said apparatus main body includes two supporting column parts arranged to be separated from each other in the horizontal direction and with their longitudinal direction directing in the up and down direction and a retaining member whose opposite end parts in the longitudinal direction are supported by said two supporting column parts, respectively, said plurality of supporting members are arranged to be separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of said retaining member, and the basal end parts of said supporting members are retained by said retaining member.
 11. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a reference plane directing toward the outside in the separation direction is disposed at least at one side part of said apparatus main body in the separation direction of said two supporting column parts, and said reference plane is arranged to be separated outward by a predetermined distance or more from said umbrella retaining lock adjacent to the inside in the separation direction with respect to said reference plane.
 12. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said umbrella retaining lock includes a lock main body attached to a side part of said supporting member and formed in a front surface part thereof facing sideward of said supporting member with a receiving recess extending upward and downward and open sideward of said supporting member, and a lock member disposed at said lock main body such that said lock member is displaceable between a releasing position and a locking position, said lock member, when located in the releasing position, allowing a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella to be brought in and out of said receiving recess through said opening part, and when located in the locking position, prohibiting the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping from said receiving recess through said opening part, and a deepest part of said receiving recess is offset toward the longitudinal direction of said supporting member with respect to a central part of said opening part of said receiving recess.
 13. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said umbrella retaining lock includes a lock main body attached to a side part of said supporting member and formed in a front surface part thereof facing sideward of said supporting member with a receiving recess extending upward and downward and open sideward of said supporting member, and a lock member disposed at said lock main body such that said lock member is displaceable between a releasing position and a locking position, said lock member, when located in the releasing position, allowing a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella to be brought in and out of said receiving recess through said opening part, and when located in the locking position, prohibiting the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping from said receiving recess through said opening part, and a depth direction of said receiving recess is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of said supporting member so that the depth of said receiving recess becomes deeper from one end side in the longitudinal direction of said supporting member toward the other end.
 14. An umbrella retaining lock including a lock main body formed in a front surface thereof with a receiving recess extending in the up and downward direction and open forward, and a lock member disposed at said lock main body such that said lock member is displaceable between an releasing position and a locking position, said lock member, when located in the releasing position, allowing a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella to be brought in and out of said receiving recess through said opening part, and when located in the locking position, prohibiting the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping from said receiving recess through said opening part, wherein a deepest part of said receiving recess is offset in the horizontal direction along the front surface of said lock main body with respect to a central part in said horizontal direction of said opening part of said receiving recess.
 15. An umbrella retaining lock including a lock main body formed in a front surface thereof with a receiving recess extending in the up and downward direction and open forward, and a lock member disposed at said lock main body such that said lock member is displaceable between a releasing position and a locking position, said lock member, when located in the releasing position, allowing a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella to be brought in and out of said receiving recess through said opening part, and when located in the locking position, prohibiting the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping from said receiving recess through said opening part, wherein a depth direction of said receiving recess is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of said supporting member so that the depth of said receiving recess becomes deeper toward the horizontal direction along the front surface of said lock main body.
 16. An umbrella retaining lock according to claim 14, wherein a movable member with a part thereof projecting from a bottom surface of said receiving recess is disposed at said apparatus main body such that said movable member is displaceable in the depth direction of said receiving recess, and said movable member is connected to said lock member so that when said movable member is abutted with the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella inserted in said receiving recess and then displaced toward the deep side of said receiving recess together with the part-to-be-retained, said lock member is displaced toward the locking position side from the releasing position interlocking with said displacement of said movable member.
 17. An umbrella retaining lock according to claim 16, wherein an intermediate part located within said apparatus main body of said lock member is rotatably disposed at said apparatus main body for rotation about an axis extending in the up and down direction, said lock member is provided at one end part thereof projecting toward the outside from said apparatus main body with an engagement part for prohibiting the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping from the opening part of said receiving recess when said lock member is located in the locking position, and said movable member is integrally disposed at the other end part projecting from a bottom surface within said receiving recess of said lock member.
 18. An umbrella retaining lock according to claim 17, wherein the bottom surface of said receiving recess includes a pair of side surfaces extending in parallel relation to each other toward the deep side of said receiving recess from an opening part thereof, and a deep surface disposed between end parts on the deep side of said pair of side surfaces, a recess is formed in an area in the vicinity of an opening part of a side surface opposing the opening part of said receiving recess of said pair of side surfaces, and a part of said engagement part is received in said recess so that when said lock member is located in the releasing position, said engagement part is not projected toward the outside from the opening part of said receiving recess and a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella inserted in said receiving recess through the opening part thereof is not abutted with said engagement part.
 19. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the basal end part of said supporting member is rotatably supported on said apparatus main body about a horizontal axis between a use position where the longitudinal direction of said supporting member is directed in a direction intersecting with the up and down direction and a receipt position where the distal end part is located generally downward of the basal end part and the entire supporting member is disposed generally along said apparatus main body, said apparatus main body is rotatably provided with a cosmetic cover, said cosmetic cover can rotate between an open position and a closed position, said cosmetic cover, when located in the open position, allows said supporting member to rotate between the use position and the receipt position and when located in the closed position, covers said supporting member located in the receiving position and said umbrella retaining lock in co-action with said apparatus main body.
 20. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said umbrella retaining lock includes a lock main body attached to a side part of said supporting member and formed in a front surface part thereof facing sideward of said supporting member with a receiving recess extending upward and downward and open sideward of said supporting member, and a lock member disposed at said lock main body such that said lock member is displaceable between a releasing position and a locking position, said lock member, when located in the releasing position, allowing a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella to be brought in and out of said receiving recess through said opening part, and when located in the locking position, prohibiting the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping from said receiving recess through said opening part, and a deepest part of said receiving recess is offset toward the longitudinal direction of said supporting member with respect to a central part of said opening part of said receiving recess.
 21. An umbrella storage apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said umbrella retaining lock includes a lock main body attached to a side part of said supporting member and formed in a front surface part thereof facing sideward of said supporting member with a receiving recess extending upward and downward and open sideward of said supporting member, and a lock member disposed at said lock main body such that said lock member is displaceable between a releasing position and a locking position, said lock member, when located in the releasing position, allowing a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella to be brought in and out of said receiving recess through said opening part, and when located in the locking position, prohibiting the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping from said receiving recess through said opening part, and a depth direction of said receiving recess is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of said supporting member so that the depth of said receiving recess becomes deeper from one end side in the longitudinal direction of said supporting member toward the other end.
 22. An umbrella retaining lock according to claim 15, wherein a movable member with a part thereof projecting from a bottom surface of said receiving recess is disposed at said apparatus main body such that said movable member is displaceable in the depth direction of said receiving recess, and said movable member is connected to said lock member so that when said movable member is abutted with the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella inserted in said receiving recess and then displaced toward the deep side of said receiving recess together with the part-to-be-retained, said lock member is displaced toward the locking position side from the releasing position interlocking with said displacement of said movable member.
 23. An umbrella retaining lock according to claim 22, wherein an intermediate part located within said apparatus main body of said lock member is rotatably disposed at said apparatus main body for rotation about an axis extending in the up and down direction, said lock member is provided at one end part thereof projecting toward the outside from said apparatus main body with an engagement part for prohibiting the part-to-be-retained of the umbrella from escaping from the opening part of said receiving recess when said lock member is located in the locking position, and said movable member is integrally disposed at the other end part projecting from a bottom surface within said receiving recess of said lock member.
 24. An umbrella retaining lock according to claim 23, wherein the bottom surface of said receiving recess includes a pair of side surfaces extending in parallel relation to each other toward the deep side of said receiving recess from an opening part thereof, and a deep surface disposed between end parts on the deep side of said pair of side surfaces, a recess is formed in an area in the vicinity of an opening part of a side surface opposing the opening part of said receiving recess of said pair of side surfaces, and a part of said engagement part is received in said recess so that when said lock member is located in the releasing position, said engagement part is not projected toward the outside from the opening part of said receiving recess and a part-to-be-retained of an umbrella inserted in said receiving recess through the opening part thereof is not abutted with said engagement part. 